Researchers have learned how to improve the performance of sensors that use tiny vibrating microcantilevers to detect chemical and biological agents for applications from national security to food processing.
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Most Topular Stories
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Innovation promises expanded roles for microsensors
ScienceDaily: Engineering News7 Feb 2012 | 10:37 am -
Bad Apple in China?
Engineering Ethics Blog6 Feb 2012 | 4:32 amApple Inc. currently enjoys one of the most positive consumer perceptions of any company in America.A New York Times poll last November revealed that more than half of those surveyed couldn’t think of anything negative about the firm, and when pressed, the worst thing they could say was that their products cost too much.So when the same paper came out with a long, carefully researched story about hazardous and onerous working conditions in China where Apple products are made, it was a little bit like reading that Santa Claus was hauled in for heroin possession. Full disclosure:My wife and I… -
New power source found
ScienceAlert - Latest Stories9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amFuel-coated nanotubes can be excellent conductors of heat and power generators, a new study shows. -
The Quantum Theory
Yanko Design9 Feb 2012 | 3:46 amQuantum Tap gives you a good reality check on how much water you ‘think’ you use and the actual. Working on the lines of how syringe works, the tap activates by pulling up a pump action-handle. Scaled markings on the stem of the handle indicate the amount of water that will be released by pulling the handle to a specific correlating height. You can choose how much water you want to use and pull up the handle accordingly. The faucet looks neat and the idea pretty simple; my only concern is soapy hands and a messy tap.Quantum Tap is a 2011 red dot design concept winner.Designers: Dennis… -
Image Stabilization Trickles Down
Technology Review RSS Feeds9 Feb 2012 | 11:01 amA suite of new cameras offer image stabilization. Our cameras demand increasingly little of us. Do photography students these days even learn about aperture and shutter speed? Increasingly, they will also be able to ignore admonitions to keep their cameras steady in order to avoid a blurry picture. Image stabilization joins a suite of new lenses and cameras announced this week, at both the high and low ends of the price scale.
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ScienceDaily: Engineering News
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Innovation promises expanded roles for microsensors
7 Feb 2012 | 10:37 amResearchers have learned how to improve the performance of sensors that use tiny vibrating microcantilevers to detect chemical and biological agents for applications from national security to food processing. -
Engineers weld nanowires with light
6 Feb 2012 | 6:26 amAt the nano level, researchers have discovered a new way to weld together meshes of tiny wires. Their work could lead to exciting new electronics and solar applications. To succeed, they called upon plasmonics. -
To make a social robot, key is satisfying the human mind
3 Feb 2012 | 7:11 amUnderstanding the human mind is the key to social robotics, and researchers describe what we can expect from this field in the future. -
Unraveling a butterfly's aerial antics could help builders of bug-size flying robots
2 Feb 2012 | 12:16 pmBy figuring out how butterflies flutter among flowers with amazing grace and agility, researchers hope to help build small airborne robots that can mimic those maneuvers. -
Precision time: A matter of atoms, clocks, and statistics
1 Feb 2012 | 3:14 pmThe ability to accurately measure a second in time is at the heart of many essential technologies; the most recognizable may be the Global Positioning System (GPS). A new paper addresses how achieving a stable and coordinated global measure of time requires more than just the world's most accurate timepieces; it also requires approximately 400 atomic clocks working as an ensemble.
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Engineering Ethics Blog
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Bad Apple in China?
6 Feb 2012 | 4:32 amApple Inc. currently enjoys one of the most positive consumer perceptions of any company in America.A New York Times poll last November revealed that more than half of those surveyed couldn’t think of anything negative about the firm, and when pressed, the worst thing they could say was that their products cost too much.So when the same paper came out with a long, carefully researched story about hazardous and onerous working conditions in China where Apple products are made, it was a little bit like reading that Santa Claus was hauled in for heroin possession. Full disclosure:My wife and I… -
Engineers, the Public, and Crime and Punishment
29 Jan 2012 | 2:31 pmFyodor Dostoevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment was completed in 1866, but even that long ago there were signs of the coming upheavals that would lead to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the establishment of the USSR, a government founded on the principle that the coming future utopia of fulfilled Communism justified any amount of butchery in the present.This idea was presaged in miniature by Raskolnikov, the protagonist of the novel.A failed law student in whom noble idealism waged a constant struggle with depression and anger, Raskolnikov tried his hand at journalism and wrote an essay… -
SOPA, PIPA, and the Wikipedia Blackout
23 Jan 2012 | 4:05 amAs regular readers of this blog know, one of my favorite sources of online information is Wikipedia.While not perfect, this largely volunteer-maintained site is a generally reliable, up-to-date, and accurate source of many kinds of information.It is especially good for technical and scientific data where there is a general consensus of agreement, and even in controversial areas it tends to be pretty even-handed.So imagine my surprise last Wednesday when I clicked onto Wikipedia for something and was greeted instead by a blacked screen for 24 hours and a plea for me (if I was a U. S. citizen,… -
From Dreamcatchers to Soulcatchers
16 Jan 2012 | 3:57 amThe day after Christmas, I was asked to contribute to a long paper on the past, present, and future of the social implications of technology.One of the other contributors cited an idea called the “soulcatcher chip” as something that would have profound social implications, if it ever comes to pass. The phrase “soulcatcher” presumably derives from the word “dreamcatcher.”A dreamcatcher, at least in the original versions made by the Ojibwe and Sioux tribes of native North Americans, was a small frame or loop of willow twigs hung with feathers.Mothers would make dreamcatchers and… -
Ethics of Calendar Technology
8 Jan 2012 | 5:48 amWith the turn of this new year, most people have at least heard about the Mayan calendar sequence ending that allegedly forecasts dire disasters to come on or about December 21, 2012.The Wikipedia article “Mayan calendar” has a quotation from Sandra Noble, who is an expert on ancient Mayan customs and practices.She says that contrary to a lot of the hype that has been promoted about the event, all that it really means is that a “long-count” period of one “b’ak’tun”, lasting 394.3 years, is going to end on that day.Far from prognosticating disaster, the ancient Mayans usually…
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ScienceAlert - Latest Stories
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New power source found
9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amFuel-coated nanotubes can be excellent conductors of heat and power generators, a new study shows. -
Exercise helps kids with obese mums
9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amChildren who exercise can fend off the negative metabolic effects that were passed on by their overweight mothers, a new study shows. -
OPINION: I nd to spk 2 U mum: why texting won’t make you feel the love
9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amWhile technology allows for rapid communication, we still need direct interaction to build our bonds with others, Michael Kasumovic writes. -
Climate speeds up microbial change
9 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amMicrobes in Antarctica’s Dry Valleys are changing at a faster pace due to climate change, new research shows. -
Smoking dads: leukemic kids
8 Feb 2012 | 6:00 amChildren whose fathers smoke heavily during conception have a 35% higher risk of developing cancer, new research shows.
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Yanko Design
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The Quantum Theory
9 Feb 2012 | 3:46 amQuantum Tap gives you a good reality check on how much water you ‘think’ you use and the actual. Working on the lines of how syringe works, the tap activates by pulling up a pump action-handle. Scaled markings on the stem of the handle indicate the amount of water that will be released by pulling the handle to a specific correlating height. You can choose how much water you want to use and pull up the handle accordingly. The faucet looks neat and the idea pretty simple; my only concern is soapy hands and a messy tap.Quantum Tap is a 2011 red dot design concept winner.Designers: Dennis… -
Chop ‘n Pour
9 Feb 2012 | 1:55 amExperience is a good teacher they say and designer Junjie Piao learnt a good lesson with it. A stint in chopping celery sticks left him frustrated, especially when it was time to scoop and transfer them to a bowl. He decided to “design something to make this process easier without disturbing slicing.” Thus was born Pour-Smart, an L-shaped plastic piece and a bar of strong magnet. The contraption allows you to chop and easily transfer food from the cutting board to a bowl. Simple and very useful is my verdict!Designer: Junjie Piao- Yanko Design Timeless Designs - Explore wonderful concepts… -
Wrap-around BB
9 Feb 2012 | 1:08 amVery rarely do designers venture into the BlackBerry turf. I think the perception of it being a serious business phone deters concept enthusiasts. For the moment we have this refreshing concept, which capitalizes on the new screen technology that is flexible, lightweight and transparent. Iterated as candy bar and a slider, the phones feature a “smart” wrap around screen and knows the difference between an intentional command and a hand holding the phone!John explains, “The front and back cameras are positioned underneath the screens. When needed the area around the camera… -
Tiffin Proportions
9 Feb 2012 | 12:02 amDabba means lunchbox in Hindi and is inspired by the Dabbawallas of Mumbai. This ingenious design aims at making you choose healthy food options and pack a balanced meal for work. Each box displays a food icon and is sized to keep portions in check. I love the combination of bamboo and silicon used, and if things go well soon the Dabba will be available at a store near you.Dabba Features:Series of stackable dishes with silicone bases act as both a seal and a cool touch bottom for reheatingSustainable bamboo lid and a reusable felt placemat with integrated utensil storageUnique elastomeric… -
A’Design Awards – Your Claim To Fame!
8 Feb 2012 | 5:06 amSteve Jobs said “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, everything else is secondary.” Finding the correct channels to promote our creativity or even get them recognized are very limited. Design Competitions are a good medium, but is recognition from peers and prize money the only push you need? The A’Design Award and Competition fills the void by highlighting, advertising and advocating good design, designers and design oriented companies. They have the knack of grabbing the attention of press, interactive medias, design critics, distributers and buyers for…
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Technology Review RSS Feeds
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Image Stabilization Trickles Down
9 Feb 2012 | 11:01 amA suite of new cameras offer image stabilization. Our cameras demand increasingly little of us. Do photography students these days even learn about aperture and shutter speed? Increasingly, they will also be able to ignore admonitions to keep their cameras steady in order to avoid a blurry picture. Image stabilization joins a suite of new lenses and cameras announced this week, at both the high and low ends of the price scale. -
What's in a Name? For Apple, Millions of Dollars
9 Feb 2012 | 10:57 amApple may dole out a fortune to use the iPad name in China Millions of Chinese people want Apple’s products. But one Chinese company wants something quite different from Apple: a billion dollars. -
Ultrafast Trades Trigger Black Swan Events Every Day, Say Econophysicists
9 Feb 2012 | 9:50 amThe US financial markets have suffered over 18,000 extreme price changes caused by ultrafast trading, according to a new study of market data between 2006 and 2011 On 6 May 2010, shares on US financial markets suddenly dropped on average by around 10 per cent but in over 300 stocks by more than 60 per cent. Moments later the prices recovered. -
Charge Your Phone (and Your Car) from Afar
8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pmCharging systems that send power farther through the air will soon be on sale. Eric Giler points a remote control at a small black pad leaned up against a wall, and three lamps instantly light up and a tablet computer starts charging. The funny thing is, the devices all sit several feet away from the black pad, which provides power, and aren't plugged in. -
A Tough Tip for Nano Manipulation
8 Feb 2012 | 9:00 pmNew coating promises to turn an atomic force microscope into an even more useful tool. IBM's Zurich Research Laboratory—where several groundbreaking microscopy tools have been invented—has created a tough new coating for the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM), a device that can be used to capture nanoscale imagery as the tip is run over a surface on the end of a microscopic cantilever. The coating could expand the range of ways that AFM can be used to include making lithographic masks for electronic manufacturing with features 10 nanometers in size—beyond the limits of…
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IRIN
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SOUTH AFRICA: Asylum-seekers resort to border jumping
8 Feb 2012 | 6:02 pmMUSINA, 9 February 2012 (IRIN) - At the Beitbridge border post between Zimbabwe and South Africa, asylum-seekers from all over the continent used to jostle with Zimbabwean migrants to gain entry into a country widely perceived as a place of freedom and safety. -
KENYA: "Gold mining beats school any day"
8 Feb 2012 | 6:02 pmNYATIKE, 9 February 2012 (IRIN) - At a waterlogged gold mine in western Kenya's Migori District, 14-year-old Jacob*, one of 15,000 children toiling in the region's pits, scours the water for glistering flakes, a job he says beats going to school on an empty stomach. -
NEPAL: Looking to low-tech wastewater treatment
8 Feb 2012 | 6:02 pmKATHMANDU, 9 February 2012 (IRIN) - In Nepal where one of the biggest childhood killers is water-borne diseases, officials are slowly adopting decentralized ways of treating urban wastewater. -
SOMALIA: Fighting displaces thousands in Somaliland
8 Feb 2012 | 6:02 pmHARGEISA/NAIROBI, 9 February 2012 (IRIN) - More than 1,000 families (about 6,000 people) have been displaced from the town of Buuhoodle and nearby villages in eastern Somaliland after heavy fighting on 8 February between the Somaliland Army and clan militias loyal to the newly created Khatumo State, locals told IRIN. -
ISRAEL: The tribulations of being an Ethiopian Jew
8 Feb 2012 | 6:02 pmTEL AVIV, 9 February 2012 (IRIN) - Growing up in Israel, Shai Siun became accustomed to being called a “nigger”.
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Pop Culture
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Thirty-Eight Cliches In 'The Vow' Trailer, Other Than Romantic Amnesia
9 Feb 2012 | 8:22 amYou might think the amnesia was the only cliche in The Vow, but according to the trailer, there are many others.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us -
The Incredible Shrinking Liz Lemon: From Woman To Little Girl
9 Feb 2012 | 6:21 amLiz Lemon began 30 Rock as a harried but capable television producer. Now, she's a little girl looking for approval.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us -
China Laces Up Its Chuck Taylors
8 Feb 2012 | 9:01 pmChina's consumer market is massive, and breaking in isn't easy. Some U.S. products have struggled. But in recent years, an old American sneaker has become an unlikely success story: the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us -
Two Rowdy Talk Shows Showcase Vintage Humor
8 Feb 2012 | 7:31 amBoth The David Susskind Show and The Sid Caesar Show featured large, unwieldy guest rosters and entertaining, timely jokes. A vintage episode of Susskind's show and a reunion of Caesar's writers are now available on DVD. TV critic David Bianculli says both offerings are laugh-out-loud funny.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us -
A Pulpit For The Masses: YouTube, Christians Click
7 Feb 2012 | 12:42 pmMany have turned to YouTube to express their views about the message of Jesus. At least one has reached biblical proportions. With more than 18 million views, "Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus" has become a sensation.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us
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Alternative Medicine
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Why You Should Use Organic Essential Oils
8 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amMost people who are interested in alternative forms of treatment for the body are probably aware of essential oils and the positive ways they can treat certain ailments. What you need to remember when you are trying to get some oils for your health is that you should stick with organic essential oils instead of [...] -
How Acupuncture, Massage Therapy and Medication Complement Conventional Therapy
7 Feb 2012 | 8:46 amRecent reports suggest that the use of alternative treatments has been very useful as a complement or addition to conventional therapies such as cancer treatments, IVF (in vitro fertilization) and even knee surgery. Alternative treatments for cancer Alternative treatments for cancer patients are increasingly being used particularly for palliative care to help counter the pain [...] -
Pure Essential Oils for Different Treatments
7 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amThe main reason that pure essential oils are so important to alternative medicine is that they are used in many different types of treatments that have been proven to have rather positive results. Anyone who wants to try natural or herbal remedies should know all about these essential oils because they are used in various [...] -
The Basic Details of Electro Acupuncture
6 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amMost people in the world have heard of acupuncture at some point in their lifetime because it is something that has been used for thousands of years for many different problems found in the human body. A new development that some people may have never heard of before is called electro acupuncture and this is [...] -
Always Turn to Natural Arthritis Remedies
4 Feb 2012 | 5:00 amNatural arthritis remedies should always be used instead of prescription drugs because you never know what kind of nasty side effects could come along with those pills from the pharmacy. Plenty of different medications are known to have rather dangerous side effects when not used properly, so it’s important to stick to the safer side [...]
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A blog about the art and the science of marketing research.
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Super Bowl Teamwork is Not Just for Football Players
9 Feb 2012 | 8:00 amThis past Sunday was a pretty big commercial day (and I guess there was some football in there, too) and I noticed quite a few brands teamed up to try and catch viewers’ attention. Co-branding works a lot of times as you can tell by the popularity of Haagen-Dazs’ Bailey’s Irish Cream ice cream or Betty Crocker’s brownie mix with Hershey’s chocolate syrup. But this Super Bowl there were a few interesting combination commercials that were unexpected, which may or may not be a good thing. This year, GE worked with Budweiser to show how the turbines GE produces provide… -
Researching a Rivalry
7 Feb 2012 | 11:56 amWhen I moved to the great state of North Carolina, I learned an important lesson: Never talk about religion, politics, or college basketball in polite company. College hoops is taken seriously in these parts. This is rivalry week in the Triangle, with Duke and UNC meet for the first of two (or three) times this season on Wednesday night. One the eve of what will certainly be an epic matchup, one of the nation’s leading political polling firms, Public Policy Polling, have released their annual UNC/Duke Poll. Here are a few of the highlights: UNC is North Carolina’s most popular… -
Cultural Titan Don Cornelius Changed the Conversation
2 Feb 2012 | 8:45 amIn these times, there is always a ‘there’ there. Instantaneous views, news, and status updates means that whether you’re in Kansas or Caracas, the disconnected can become instantaneously connected and gawk or share in the cultural, political and intellectual conversations of the moment. With the recent death of Don Cornelius, a transcendent titan of the American cultural and racial conversation depicted each Saturday on his hugely influential Soul Train syndicated program, it’s no small thing to reflect on the fact that he, unlike Jobs, Zuckerberg, or Lady Gaga, was the first, and… -
Infographic: Measuring the Business Impact of Social Media
26 Jan 2012 | 10:39 amA few months ago, Wildfire conducted an ROI survey of over 700 marketers across different industries all around the world to see how social media is used in their businesses and why. The below infographic shows how social media is used to grow brand awareness, increase communication with consumers, and how marketers use this information to determine the impact of social media on their business. -
Pantone – A Revelation of Color
20 Jan 2012 | 7:42 amA great new book out entitled “Pantone, The 20th Century in Color” incorporates beautiful color plates with accompanying narrative by authors Leatrice Eiseman and Keith Recker that describe the last 100 years in the evolution of the color spectrum through the lens of the groundbreaking 1963 Pantone color system developed by Lawrence Hebert of Pantone. The system codified the color spectrum, so that a certain shade of a color can be uniformly agreed upon and unknowingly revolutionized the world of graphic design. One can think back to any decade of the past century and certain…
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A Holy Experience
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5 Ways to Fight Through to a Loving Marriage {What You’re Trying to Tell Him When You’re Angry}
9 Feb 2012 | 3:57 amIthink we were standing outside the back door, out by the white pickup under the Big Dipper, when I turned and said it. Said I hated him. The dark can make you brave. Or a fool. But when you’re twenty-two and think you know everything, panic can tear up your chest like this howl that has to rip free. “I hate it when you stand there all quiet.” He kicks the ground with the toe of his boot, drives his hands deep into his Wranglers. Does he hear me at all? “Hate how you just pull away. Hate how you always think I’m the problem and it’s never you. Hate it, hate… -
Links for 2012-02-08 [del.icio.us]
9 Feb 2012 | 12:00 am10 Ways to Make Your Homeschool Day Run Smoothly Yes, this. -
Links for 2012-02-07 [del.icio.us]
8 Feb 2012 | 12:00 amWhy We Need the Extraordinary 8 Percent @ Q Ideas .... Gabe Lyon, father of a son with Down Syndrome, considers the extraordinary 8 percent -- and gift of being Cade's dad. A profound read and discussion. How the Sermon on the Mount encourages the Joy Dare @Mom on a Mission... How one amazing mom took up the Joy Dare -- spurred on by the Beautitudes... Yes, yes, yes! What we're listening to while working on math... Vaughan Williams & The Lark Ascending - so beautiful... The Relevant Conference is Now Allume Social! ... have you checked out the new vision of Allume and Allume Social? allume… -
When Winds Blow & Love Tries to Hold On
7 Feb 2012 | 8:16 pmThe old threads cut up, laid down, stitched side by side, that quilt, it flaps on the line. A quilt for beds and bodies twined in the dark, hung out here to ride spring winds. The sun warms the back of a bare neck. I feel it, and on my arms. A breeze sways and the wooden pins still hold that quilt on the line. My Dad, he leans against the wire fence watching the windmill pump. The bonneted Mennonite girl comes out from the house and they talk windmills. They talk about water and wind. The things that run through your fingers and you can never quite hold. The windmill hums round with all that… -
How to Build a House {into a Family}
7 Feb 2012 | 7:12 amThey build it with their own hands. They build it in the angling sun and they are loud and happy and they pack in in all the gaps with handfuls of snow spraying like sweet sugar everywhere. They talk of sleeping under stars and sleeping in coats under blankets and with a flashlight and candles and the dog, the dog right there at the door. When one lies down, they nudge on; they have this vision. They say that this will be like nothing ever before, the most beautiful one ever. Levi pulls off his touque, hot and sweaty, and piles his snow high on the wall. They build this snow house. They hand…
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Blue Ocean Strategy creation with Gabor George Burt
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Burn calories alongside your pet
23 Jan 2012 | 4:02 amIn order to stay relevant in a fast and continuously changing environment, you need to be market driving rather than market driven. Market driven, no matter how responsive, is a reactionary stance. In contrast, market driving is proactive, creating spaces of lifestyle enrichment that did not exist before. Take, for example, the world’s biggest food group Nestle, which has launched an online program inviting pet owners to team up with their furry friends to lose weight. Via Reuters: Nestle's pet and people weight management units Purina and Jenny Craig worked together on… -
What can sports teach us about business strategy?
1 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmEnjoy Gabor’s latest article over at the American Express OPEN Forum. One arena with rich parallels to business strategy is the world of sports. Here is one example. The game of American football is a furious game of strategy. In fact it is so strategy-intensive, that the game is paused for half a minute between each play to allow both teams to formulate or select the best strategy for the next one. There are actual headsets inside players’ helmets, through which coaches can communicate strategic commands between plays from the sidelines. For the uninitiated the game can look downright… -
BlackBerry's waning Infatuation Interval™
19 Dec 2011 | 10:31 amThe writing has been written on the wall for quite some time now. In fact, back in June Gabor wrote an article for Mashable entitled “Blackberry: how our infatuation waned,” which issued warnings for BlackBerry and its waning Infatuation Interval™. Now, looking for a blue ocean strategy-like solution—and one that reminds us of pages from the Kodak playbook—some investors now believe that the best way forward for BlackBerry just might be to jettison its core business. Via Reuters: It might seem like corporate heresy but an increasing number of technology investors and experts are… -
Creative disrupters
7 Dec 2011 | 4:58 amThere is a growing recognition that creativity is a vital component for successfully handling unexpected, unprecedented and rapidly changing surroundings. As an example, the Bloomberg Businessweek article “What Chief Executives Really Want,” in May 2010, noted: “According to a new survey of 1,500 chief executives conducted by IBM’s Institute for Business Value, CEOs identify ‘creativity’ as the most important leadership competency for the successful enterprise of the future.” In its How to Lead a Creative Life series, Fast Company shares the thought-provoking, inspiring… -
When infatuation tips towards fanaticism
4 Dec 2011 | 10:00 pmWhile there is no such thing as a perfectly and continuously satisfied customer, there is such a thing as an infatuated one. But what happens when one’s infatuation goes overboard and tips towards fanaticism? A story from the recent USA post-Thanksgiving popular shopping day, Black Friday, gives us some insight. Via Yahoo!: A woman trying to improve her chance to buy cheap electronics at a Walmart in a wealthy suburb spewed pepper spray on a crowd of shoppers and 20 people suffered minor injuries, police said Friday. The attack took place about 10:20 p.m. Thursday shortly after doors…
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Bonsai Bark
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BIB Tonight, BABA Last Night
9 Feb 2012 | 6:40 amI wonder where this little Japanese black pine came from originally. My guess is that it was imported from Japan. I’ll also guess that, though it looks like a Yamadori (collected from the wild), it was actually grown for bonsai. I could be wrong on both counts, but there’s one count I’m pretty sure of; this is an excellent little tree, with it’s strong base, aged bark, compact twisted shape, small bright needles and complimentary pot. BIB then BABA I should have posted BIB before BABA (see last post). Confused? Okay, here’s how it goes: There are two (at least)… -
BABA Tonight
7 Feb 2012 | 6:41 amOne things that has long distinguished Japanese bonsai from bonsai in the West is superior ramification. This noble Trident maple, sans leaves, aptly represents a trend; gradually Western bonsai artists are taking the time and trouble to develop fine branching. I don’t think we’re all the way there yet, but trees like this are a clear sign that we are on our way. A few other things that stand out about this tree are; how well balanced it is, how lush and bright the moss is, and the absolutely wonderful pot. Normally you see deciduous trees in glazed pots. Not so here, but no… -
A Little Bonsai Elegance on a Day of Wild Passions and Insane Hyperbole
5 Feb 2012 | 7:00 amThis Oriental bittersweet belongs to Mario Komsta who is frequently featured on this blog. I found the photo on Morten Albek’s Shohin Bonsai Europe blog. It’s part of a shohin gallery from Noelanders Trophy 2012 Exhibition. The photo is by Mark Cooper, as are all the photos in this post. A little antidote Today is Super Bowl Sunday. A time of almost insane hyperbole and wild passions run amuck. A time when big, loud and violent is the norm and our connections with our more refined sensibilities are put aside in favor of baser impulses. On such a strange and bewildering day, I… -
Great Photos, Great Trees
2 Feb 2012 | 4:26 amShimpaku with fan. The photo is from Kennett Bonsai’s Wall Photos on facebook. Photos that are worthy of the trees It’s always good to see well-photographed quality bonsai. Many photos (especially on facebook) are hastily shot, often with little consideration for things like background, lighting and other elements that go into quality photography. In this case the bonsai (from The Kennett Collection) are excellent, and clearly, some effort has gone into creating photos that are worthy of the trees. Don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining about hastily shot photos. With… -
California Shohin Seminar
1 Feb 2012 | 7:58 amThis little gem was lifted from BUNJINJOURNAL.COM. It’s from the 2010 California Shohin Society Seminar in Santa Nella. Better late… Don’t know how this happened, but we almost missed this one. The California Shohin Society is holding its famous biennial seminar in Santa Nella this weekend. I know it’s late, but it’s a great event and if you’re in the area, here’s what you need to know. Santa Nella Speaking of famous Shohin, have you seen our book by Morten Albek: Shohin Bonsai, Majesty in Miniature? Tweet
